mid-century style gardening

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Saturday, August 20, 2016

Our hawks

As I walked out the front door a few days ago, something huge whooshed out of our flower bed and lit on a low tree branch. When I recovered my wits and got out my cell phone, I was able to snap this photo.

I'm no ornithologist...not even a casual birdwatcher, in fact...but my best guess is that it was a red-tailed hawk, though I have no idea whether it was male or female.

I read that some hawks are monogamous and may defend the same nesting territory for years. They mate in the late winter/early spring, and the eggs hatch in about six weeks.

Later in the day, I spotted two small hawks perched on our back fence, which is probably safe to say were maturing babies, as their size seemed to fit the mating/hatching timeline.

While this may seem at first to have nothing to do with owning a mid-century home, it actually does. We have 21 live oak trees in our back yard, which were probably planted around the time the house was built in 1950, so they are extremely large and very tall...just where hawks like to build their nests. Living in a house with a yard that was established over 60 years ago has all sorts of benefits, including the opportunity to see wildlife you might not see in a newer neighborhood.

Our neighbors have two tiny chihuahuas who cry and howl pitifully to get back inside when they're put out into the yard. They probably don't feel safe. Surely the neighbors know about the hawks, since they've lived here a lot longer than we have, but it's not a good idea to leave the dogs out there unattended, since I've read that large raptors do attack small pets. Maybe I should mention my concerns to the neighbors.

We have hawks, too...they pretty much mind their own business and haven't caused any concern in regard to our dogs. They sit up high and annoy them but that's about it. They are beautiful to watch. I used to worry about little Tipsy that lived next door- she was a chihuahua. We had one land out by the pool and stay there for a few hours and I could really appreciate it's size and beauty, and also those talons. WoW!

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About Me

I love vintage modern design and the creative men and women behind it. I research the iconic as well as the obscure and share what I've learned about their lives and their timeless designs. I also keep an eye on present-day designers and new modern furnishings. Join me in my tribute to the old and the new and my joyful celebration of the unique style that results when they come together.